Comelec to review bill amending substitution rule in election laws

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday said it will review a bill seeking to amend election laws on withdrawal as a basis for a candidate’s substitution, after the May 2022 polls.

"Isa sa mga dapat nating ma-review din, after this election, dapat ma-review din natin 'yung tungkol sa nuisance, 'yung tungkol sa substitution, 'yung tungkol sa withdrawal, et cetera," Comelec commissioner George Garcia said during a media briefing.

(Among of the things we should also review after this election were the issue on nuisance candidates, substitution, withdrawals, et cetera.)

Garcia said the Comelec previously reviewed a pending Senate bill seeking to amend the substitution of candidates in case of withdrawal.

"'Yung iba sinasabi naabuso raw ang withdrawal, sinasabi dapat hindi pinapayagan ang withdrawal na may substitution, lalo't parang pinaasa mo ang tao," he said.

(Others say that withdrawal is being abused, they say that withdrawal with substitution should not be allowed, because it's as if giving false hope to people.)

"Maganda, alam ninyo itong mga nangyari kina General Parlade, nangyari sa iba pa, maganda mapag-aralan natin, na talaga bang naaabuso ang [withdrawal]? Ano ang posisyon ng Comelec na plano nating i-submit sa ating Kongreso?" he continued.

(It is better if we can study them, if the law on withdrawal is really being abused? What is the position of the Comelec that we plan to submit to the Congress?)

Garcia, however, pointed out that Comelec will implement the law the Congress would pass.

"In the final analysis the Congress has the final say of what the law should really be. We are only there to implement what they want us to do," he said.—AOL, GMA News